Poor Albert and Little Annie

Zooey Hall, I've not seen him in any other role but, boy, was he perfect for the part of Albert. He certainly is a creepy-lookin' fellow. No wonder he's credited as playing "Joanie's Weird Boyfriend" on a Happy Days episode.

I Dismember Mama is an irksome film with laughable music throughout, even for the period. The scenes where Albert is chasing Annie has accompanying music that sounds like something from the old Adam West "Batman" TV-series. It ruins the climatic scenes. Summed up, there's not much to see, well . . . some '70s nudity.

Rich kid Albert (Zooey Hall) is in an institute. We meet him at the beginning of the film trying to rape a nurse before he is apprehended. His doctor tells his mother that he is a lost cause and must be moved to a hospital for the insane. While being taunted by one of the male nurses there, Albert tricks him into watching one of the 'films' he's made, and ends up killing him and escaping. He arrives at his mother's house to kill her - he sees her as a whore who is not 'pure' enough. He instead comes across her housekeeper, who he taunts and kills. Yet when he meets her 11 year-old daughter Annie (Geri Reischi), they form a bond and Albert takes her away. For once he has met a girl who is pure and innocent, but the only problem are his violent sexual urges.

The original name for this film was Poor Albert and Little Annie, which is a much more apt title for a film that is relatively unexploitative and character-driven. While they are scenes of violence, they are brief and contain very little blood or gore. The film concentrates more on the relationship between Albert and Annie, and the creepy fascination Albert has with her. Albert is clearly a misogynist, viewing every woman as filth who have lost their purity. Annie is sweet and innocent, and so Albert begins a strange love affair with her. He understands his urges are wrong, but he goes with it all the same.

As interesting as I'm making the film out to be, you have to remember that this is a 70's grindhouse film marketed under the name of I Dismember Mama and was usually shown in a double bill with The Blood Spattered Bride (1972). This generally means that although the idea is certainly quite interesting, the execution is bad. Whereas the low- budget works in it's favour - the film has a grime to it that creates a feeling of sleaze - the film is peppered with long sections where nothing at all happens. The 80 minute running time feels much longer than it actually is, and although Hall in the lead is generally quite effective as the rich-boy psychopath, he cannot save the film from being a meandering missed opportunity.

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David "Zooey" Hall who was good in FORTUNE AND MEN'S EYES is casted as a nut who kills a little girls mother, and tries be friends with her in another 70's low grade thriller. Paul Leder made a sequel 16 years later as KILLING OBSESSION with John saxon and John Savage playing Hall's part. I think Savage is a good actor, but Hall really made this part in the first one. The film really isn't a cult classic, but seems to became one because of the constant re-pressing Video Gems and Simtar did on the video cassette release, and the film F/X mentioned this film also. Not recommended.

In this film, Albert is a rich psycho, who goes around looking for sex, then killing the woman if they are not virgins.When he sees little 11 year old Annie, he falls in love.But,since he doesn't want to ruin her purity, he finds another woman, and Annie catches them,starting the finale.

This is a rare film to find=majority of video stores don't have it...But, its really crazy and unrelated, worth a look!

Albert (Zooey Hall) has some serious issues. He believes that all women are "whores". He also believes that his mother (Joanne Moore Jordan) is the cause of all his problems. Albert also suffers from severe WBHS (Warren Beatty Hair Syndrome).

Dr. Burton (Frank Whiteman) is convinced that Albert is dangerously disturbed and should be institutionalized. Shockingly, mum won't hear of it.

Albert begins a killing spree, sporting an awesome Fedora / turtleneck ensemble. All the while, the theme song "Poor Albert" plays on like some terribly-written accomplice.

I DISMEMBER MAMA is a thoroughly preposterous experiment in early 1970's misogyny. It wavers between being a tale of sadistic terror and a hilarious parody of itself. The aforementioned, misplaced theme song is a marvel!

Albert himself is at once a repellent, murdering pig, and a complete bonehead. One simply must witness his jumping matador dance routine!

BEST SCENES: #1- Albert's theological discussion on the lake, intercut with scenes of his last homicide! #2- Abert's history lesson on the way to a hotel bridal suite! Pure cinematic genius!

Special accolades must go to Greg Mullavey's unforgettable role as the yelling cop. Really, who yells like that?

No human soul could possibly be prepared for the crying, screaming, tantrum-induced anti-doom of the finale!

No actual mannequins were harmed...